1966 Aermacchi/Harley-Davidson Sprint H Model 250
After restoration

1966 was the last year of the long-stroke Sprint 250 for the American market. The following year, the bore and stroke would change from 66mm x 72mm to 72mm x 61mm. Also ending in 1966 was the "knuckle" head design as the short-stroke 250 would have a "round" head design. The two street models available in 1966 were the H and C. The C model Sprint would not return in 1967 when the model line included the H and SS. There were also the competition models CRS (dirt) and CRTT (road) produced during this period, but their components were quite different from the street counterparts.

The 1966 Sprint H model pictured above arrived at the Digital Garage in a series of boxes. Work on this bike proved to be more of a reassembly than a restoration as the majority of the pieces were still in fairly decent shape. Parts of special interest on this bike are the high pipe and the skid plate, both of which are factory items. The high pipe was an item that was available (low pipe was also available) on the Sprint H since it's introduction in 1962. These early Sprint H's had a toolbox on the right side of the bike to match the battery box on the left (just like the C model). If an early H came equipped with a high pipe, the toolbox fitted was unique in that it had a tunnel through the middle to allow the exhaust pipe to pass.

1962 Aermacchi/Harley-Davidson Sprint H Model 250
Note high exhaust through toolbox